Apparatus for soling and pressing footwear



c. M. RICHARDSON ET AL APPARATUS FR SOLING ND PRESSING FOOTWEAR Nov. 4,1930.

Nov. 4, 1930. C, M RlCHARDSQN ET AL 1,780,769

APPARATUS FOR SOLING AND PRESSING FOOTWEAR Filed July 7, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 4, 1930. c. M. RICHARDsoN El' AL 1,780,769

APPARATUS FOR SOLING AND PRESSING FOOTWEAR *l Filed July 7, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 5 'FM W7 m7 Nov. 4, 1930. Q M R|HARDS0N AL 1,780,769

APPARATUS FOR soLING AND PREssING FOOTWEAR Filed July '7, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 4 @www NOV- 4, 1930- c. M. RICHARDSON ET AL 1,780,769

APPARATUS FOR SOLING AND PRESSING FOOTWEAR Filed Jbly 7/1927 5sheets-sheet 5 Patented Nov. 4, 1930 wir Qnnnnns Mongiana-:N nNn vrnernrn. nonna, or' Annen, onto, Assreivons 'ro 'man n. r. aoonnici-reorrrnnv, or NEW vqnir, ni. Y., 'Ajconronnrron `or'itnvv Ybrisele-reserva For@ SGI-Irs ,AND @essere @wwf-ses Application yfiled July7, 1927. Serial No. 2Q4,0i6.

This invention relates to the manufacture of footwear and especiallyrubber-soled shoes such as overshoes, rubbers, tennis shoes and thelike.

.Our chief objects are to provide improved apparatus for pressingarubber sole in place upon the shoe; to pro-vide in an improved mannerfor pressing the sole and turning its margin onto the upper in the sameoperation v; to provide for first pressing the sole Yand thereafterpressing the rest of the shoein the same operation; to provide vamachine adapt to nperate uponv shoes of many diiferent sizes with butlittle. adjustment or substitution of parts; to provide cyclic andlargel)7 automatic operation; toprovide-for safety of the operator; andto provide numerous, more detailed advantages which will be man- O-f theaccompanying drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation of a machine embodying and adapted to carry outour inventionin.

Fi'. 5 is a fraomentarY elevation of y artsy of the machine including'an inflatable presser-head and parts of actuating means Afor presentingittoand removing i-t from cooperating parts of the machine, the headbeing shown-in pressing position.

Fig. (3 is a similar v'ie'w 'showing other parts` of the head-actuatingmeans. l

ReferringV to the draw-ings, the machine comprises a frame 10 havingmounted in the 7' topv thereof a fluid-pressure'pot 11 in which ismounted a, last-support 12V adapted'to receive the shank of a last 13hav-ing an o-vershoe v14 thereon and to support the same for thepressing operation,

The last-support 12 secured upon the upper .of a supprtins and adjustingscrew 15 which is threaded 'through a quill 16 rotatablyV mounted in anapetured boss constituting a part et the door et the fluid.- preSSLlIP911 1l @Cured upon the lower end of the quill 1,6, entside ofthe pot,is a beveled gear 17 (Figs. l and 2) which' is meshedwith a beve-ledgear 18 secured upon a shaft 19 which extendsto. the front ofthe machineandl is thereprovidedwith a hand wheel 20. Whereby the quill 16 may berotated to raisey o r lower the last-support 12 within the pot.

- A. .cup-shaped lip gasket 21 (Figs. 2 `and. 3) having itsioor,apfertured to accommodate the screw" 15 is mounted upon tliesaid screweoL and ris clamped in sealed relation against the. under face of thelast-support. 12V byl means of awasher 22 and a nut 23 mounted upon'thesaid s.crew,the washer 2,2 being sol fitted against the. rear wall of*the potas-to permity the last-support `to-.slide vertically but toprevent thel last-support from rotating in.

the" vertical adjustment thereof by rotation ofthe quill 1,611 rldhegasket.V 21 is'adapted to:

seal about the upper of the overshoe and'thus to seal againstthe last.when a iiuid pres.- sure is built up within the pot 11, and the last isof the usual vented .type and is adapt-` ed' to be vented during thepressingoperation through an aperture 2st extending through thelast-support 12y and screw l15 to the outer atmosphere.

The pot 11 is` held in position upon the frame 10 by dowel'pins such asthe pins 25,'

25 and a spacer ring 26 apcrtured to accommodate the dowels 2,51 isinterposed between the margin of the pot and the frame' 10, theconstruction being'such that lrings l26 of different thickness may besubstituted for eachother to 'suvport the pot at different eleva-y tionsfor di erent sizes or types of overshoes. Surrounding` the upper marginof the lipv gasket A21 is an annular plate. 27 having its afford a stopfor a sole pressing diaphragm, the said. plate extending entirely aboutthe overshoe at a substantial distance from t-he sole of the latter butin close proximity to the adjacent surface of the overshoe, so thatV l adiaphragm distended by fluid pressure into the angle formed by the plateandthe 'overshoe will not'be required ofits ownstrength` toebridge sucha gap between ithe. two:l as to be subj ected to excessivestrainfby 'thefiiuid,v

pressure. The plate 27 is shaped for vits'rubber facing 28 tobecontacted by theupper. toe portion of the overshoe for the support ofthe vlatter while the shank of the last rests upon the last-support 12,the last-support being in proper verticaladjustment, and at the rear theplate 27 is so formed as to standV close to the substantially'verticalrear sur-l face" of therovershoe, the construction being 2@such that thepl ate27 will serve as acloselyl surrounding stop forfthediaphragm withrespect'to overshoes of a considerable .num-

ber of sizes, the last-support being properly adjusted for the differentsized overshoes.

An upperpress'er-head adapted to'coact with' the lower vpressingVstructure vjust` dev scribed comprisesan inverted `fluid pressure pot29 having an elastic diaphragm 30 *mount-r ed in the manner ofa 'drum4head upon the margin ofitsmouth, the margin of the diaphragm 30 beingclamped to the vmarginfof the pot 29 bymeans of an annular clampingplate 31 and' screw bolts 32, 32, the diaphragmbeing adapted to beheldunder tension in an upwardly iexed and str-etched condition -by`contact with the sole`33po-f'the.overshoe when the upper presserheadVisin pressing position over the lower presser-head. The upper head isso formed that theclamping plate 31 kstands in close proximity tothegmarginof the lower pot 11 when the upper head is in pressingposition7 so as to avoid such a gap V.between the two as. would subjectthe diaphragm 30 to excessive local strain in the' region where itbridges the space between the two, when thediaphragm is forced to theposit-ion in which it is shown in Fig. 3 by pressure fluid conductedinto the` space between the upper pot 29 and the said diaphragm. A l

For mounting and removing the upper presser-head thepot y29 has securedto its respective sides downwardly extending arms 34, 34 which at theirlower ends are pinned upon the respective kends of a rock-shaft 35journaled in a pair of blocks 36, 36 which v are mounted for verticalsliding movement in guide-ways such as the guide-way 37 (Fig.

l) formed in the respective side members of the frame, the pot 29being'adapted to be removed from the pot 11 bybeing first liftedvertically, the blocks 36 sliding in their guide-ways, and then to betilted=to a position at the' rear of the lower'pot, as shown by i thebrokenlines in Fig. 6, Aand to be remounted over the lower pot byreverse movements. The means for lifting the shaftl 35 v'and therebylifting the pot 29 comprises a pair of toggle arms 38, 38 rotatablymounted upon the shaft 35 between the respective arms 34 and themachine'framaeachY toggle f-arm 38 Y being hinged to a' toggle arm 39secured upon Y v'a stub shaft 40 mounted in the respective sides V ofthe. machine frame and each 'provided -withinmtheY1 frame with anactuatingy Varm 41 connected by an adjustable '.link-42 with an ann-43keyedupon a rock-'shaft 44 `mounted inthe machine frame. The righthandarm43 vvas vviewed inFig. 2 has mounted `thereon a cam roller. 45extending into a isf cam groove 46 formed in acam disk 47 which isrsecured upon a main drive shaft 48, the

` cam disk 47 thus being adapted'to straighten.

the toggl'es 38-39, 38-39 to lower the upper presser-head and to breakthe toggles to raise the said head during each revolution. of the;`

shaftv 48. l Y l. c

p For tilting the upper vheadvfromr its inclined brokenline position ofFig.'6f to its verticalV vbroken line position of Fig. l6 and ltotiltitback again to theinclined position in eaclrcycle of operation,in'timed relation to thelifting and lowering of theheadA by the toggles,the.rockshaft 35 has keyed'thereon` an'arm 49 provided atv its outer`end with a 'cam stud 50" extending into a cam slot 51 (Fig.6)iforrnedin one arm of a bell crank lever52 which isfulcrumed upon a shaft 53 andhas upon the outer end of its other arma cam roller 54- mounted in a camgroove 55 formed in a cam disk 56 which is secured upon the drive shaft48.',Y l

` The main driveshaft 48 has secured upon f one end thereof, within agear housing 57 screw bolted to the outer face of the machine frame, aclutch structurey (seeFig.4) corn-y prisinga flanged bushing 58 and aVfcollar 59 secured thereon and defining therewith an annular channel 60-which accommodates an arcuate cam 61. Mounted inan aperture formedv inthe flanged bushingf58 is aclutch pin'62 having an obliquely facedl head63 projecting radially of the structureinto the channel 60 for coactionwith the arcuatev cam 61 for disengaging the pin 62 from the hub end oftheV shaft 48, lfor urging the pin 62 into engagement with thehubstructure of the worm gear 64 when the head 63 of the pin passes out ofengagement,y with the arcu ate cam member 61. Y

For Aenga-'gement with the pin 62 the 'hub ber in declutching positionby a compressionV spring 72 interposed between a washer 74 abutting ashoulder formed on the pin' and an aperturedY lug 73 projecting from thegear casing and having the pin 71 mounted there# 1n.

For pulling the pin 71 downward to release the clutch pin 62 and permitthe latter to engage the hub structure ofthe worm gear 64, the lower endof the pin 71 has pin-andslct hinge connection with a lever 75 fulcrumedon the frame'at 76 andhavin-g at the outer end ot'its other arm aradially disposed iorl: in which is slidably mounted a vertical pull rod77 provided at its lower end with nuts 78. for lifting the adjacent armof the lever. The pull rod 77 is mounted at its upper end in anapertured bracket 78 (Fig. l) secured to the machine Atrame and acompression spring 79 is interposed between the said bracket and iawasher 80 mounted below it upon the pull rod 77 forurging the pull roddownward to a limit imposed by contact of a head 81, secured uponlthe'upper end of the rod, with the upper tace of the bracket 78.

For lifting the pull rod 77 to startthe machine, :the head 81 hasjournaled ytherein a pulley 82 `occupying the depending loop :of a

sprocket chain 83 which has its ends securedl to respective arms 84, 84secured upon re spective shafts 85, 86 which are journaled in theframing and have at their outer ends respective handles such as thehandle 87 pro.

jecting to the front of the mach-ine, the construction being such thatthe operator is required to use both hands, in engagement with therespective handles 87, in order to lift the pull rods 77 to a sufficientheight to retracty the arcuate cam 61 and thus permit the pin 62 (Fig.4) to .connect the machine with the drive gear 64.

Provision is made tor applying a vacuum to the interior of the upperpresser-head momentarily at sueh'times as the head isY being mountedupon or removed :trom the wol-lz, so that as the diaphragm comes intoContact with the sole of the shoe it will V,be already stretched in itssole contactingportion and consequently will not unduly stretch the soleby binding contact therewith in the forcing downward of the head overthe shoe and in the subsequent distending of the diaphragm by iuidpressure. The construction also is lsuch .that only a moderate amount offurther stretching of the marginal .zone of' and a flanged col'V theldial-Jhragni occurs in forcing it from its position iin Fig. 2 toitswposition in Fig. 3, and such increased tension. upon the centralpart of the diaphragm as tostretch the sole unduly is avoided.

Provision yis made for conducting air at` high pressure,lpreterablyabout 40 .pounds to the square inch, into the upper 'presserhead, back.of the diaphragm 30, as soon as the presser-head is in position uponthe work, and provision'is made for then increasing such pressure,preferably to about ,80 pounds to the square inch,` while a little moreslowly an almost equal ,pressure is built up in :the lower presser-headwhich comprises the 'pot 11, the'pressure in the upper head continuingto be suliiciently higher than that in the lower head to hold thediaphragm 30 distended to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3and thus to provide a seal of the diaphragm against the rubber taci-ngmember 28 jot the plate 27 to prevent the escapeA of air from the pot11. Y A

For providing the series of pressure cond-i-tions just described a pipe88 leads from a sourceoI" compressed air at 40 pounds pressure, throughVa cam'actuatedvalve 89 anda check valve `90 (Fig. 1) to a flexiblepipe91 communicating with the chamber of the upper presser-head, theflexible pipe 91 also being in constant communication through a pipe 92with a chamber 93 (Fig. 4) formed in a valve casing 94 (Figs. 1 and 4)secured 94, which chamber `9'6 has vcommunication through a poppet valve97 with the chamber 93 and through a poppet lvalve 98 with a chamber 99from which a pipe 100 leadsto the pot 110i the lower presser-head.lrlll-ie lower presser-head is .adapted to be put .in communicationthrough the chamber 99, and a poppet valve 101 with an exhaust pipe 1.02opening to the atmosphere. The upper presser-head is adapted to be put-in .connnunication through thel chamber 92 anda poppet valve 103 withan exhaust pipe 104 opening to the atmosphere. For applying suction tothe upper presser-head, the. high lpressure air pipe 95 is adapted to beput in .communication'through the chamber 96 and a poppetv a nozzle 107mounted in the exhaust-pipe 104 and adapted therewith to constitute anejector.

valve 105 with an ejector pipe 106` havingy v For opening and closingthe several poppet vided with cam rollers 108,21-1i081fadapted' to y fcoact with aseries'of Vcams 101, 98a, 97%,'1032. and 710.5a secured upona cam shaft 109 which has driver connection through a sprocket chain I110 v.withthemain drive Vshaftj48r` headfat that time being incommunication The several cams are sofornied and'have such angularvrelation that-in' their rotation,

beginning'with-,the tilting of the upper press-` er-headintovertical-.position over .the work, the valves allbeingclosed atVthebeginning of Ythis movement','thevalves 105 `and v103 are firstopened, the valve 105V permitting high pressure air from the pipe 95450`pass through the ejector pipe106 and thus `to cause a suction in theexhaust pipe 104 and consequently in the-upper presser-head, the upperpresserwith its 'exhaust pipe 104 through the flexiblev pipe'91, thepipe'92, the chamber 93 and ythe valver103, `and a cam-actuated valve 89(Fig. `1) :in :the low pressure 'line 88 being closed; thevalves 105 and1031are-then per mittedby their cams to close aiid'immediatelythereafter the valve 89 in the low pressure pipe88 isopenedby engagementof acam 111 (Fig. 6) mounted upon the .periphery` of thecani` .disk 56engaging acam rollerz112 Y Y. 1 mounted upon anactuating'lever 113hinged 1 'upon'the'casi'ng of the valve 89, the air at 40pounds'pressure being applied toithe upper presser-head through `thecheck valve 90 andVV the iiexib'le pipe'91 (Fig. 1) ,Y andthe valve797'(Fig. 4) being held closed bythe preponderance of air Apressure Yin thechaniber-96 vas compared with that in the chamber .93.

' Thereafter 'but Vbefore the cam 111 permits the valve'89 to close, thevalve 9TV is lifted by itscam, permitting high pressure air from thepipe 95 to'pass through the chambers .96y

I and93` and thepipes 92 and V91 into the up-V per head, the checkzvalve90 (Fig. 1) -pre'- Venting the high pressure air from flowing into thepipe 88, and immediatelythereafter the valve 98isopened, pern'iittingthe.high pressure airv to flow through the chambers 96y and 99 andthe pipe100 into the pot 11 ofy the lower presser-head.

Assoon as the pressure in the two heads has remained on long enough tothoroughly compress the shoe, rotation of the cam shaft 109 causes thevalves 98 and 97' to close, shut ting off the air'supply to the twoheads, and .the valves Vr101, 103 4and 105 are opened,eX hausting thelower head through the pipe 102 and the upper head through the pipe'104and momentarily producinga vacuum in the upper vhead through the actionof thel ejector comprising the pipes A104 andv 106.

f Gauges 114, 115 may be provided for indicating the pressures containedinthe two head. I

The motor V66 is preferably provided with a solenoid brake 116 adaptedto be actuated whenever the current is cut off, and'in addition totheusual push button starting-and f stoppingswitches we preferably providean emergency stopping vswitch,KVV shown in Vf Fi g.

1, having a switch-opening lever 1117v *backed by a spring 118 adaptedtohold it in circuitclosing position and provided with' a vcam roll-` er119 associated with an arm 120 seouredto a shaft 121 provided with anactuating frame 122 adapted readily tobe engaged either by the handor'by* the bodyof the operator 'to open the circuit and thereby stop thecurrent to the. motor and simultaneously actuate the brake 116. l -v Inthe operation ofthe machine, the drive-j gear 64 being@continuouslydrivenby vthe motor 66, andthe upperhead being in theinclined dotted line position of Fig. 6 at the beginning of theoperation, thev last 13 with the overshoe 14 theieonrandwith the sole inflat form lightly pressed againstthe body Vof the shoe-and projectingbeyond the latter? around its margin, is mounted'inr the; gasket 21 andupon the last-support 12 and plate 27. Both 'the handles 87 are thenkdepressed by the operator, which requires. the use of both of his handsfor the sake of safety, and-,in consequence the pin 62r is permitted.Ato engage with .the vhub structure'of the rotating drive; gear 64 Vbythe 'downward withdrawal of the arcuate cain member 61, the construc-Ation being such that thevshaft 48 willthen be driven lthroughone'complete revolution and l then stopped by Withdrawal of the clutchpin 62-through`the coaction of its `head 63 with the cam member 61. Y i

In'this revolution of the shaft 48 the upper 4head is Afirst swung intoposition over the Alowerhead by'action ofthe vbell crank lever 52V (Fig.6) and then lowered into position about the llower head by action of thelevers' 43, links 42, arms 41 and toggles '384-39.

As lthe initial `pressure is applied within the upper 'head,forcingthediaphragm 30 to itsposition as shown in Fig. 3, the margin of the'sole33 is folded on to the side faces vof theovershoe and firmly pressed inplace and 'the diaphragm 30 also presses the upper against'thelast in azone extending about the overshoe ad] acentv the latters sole. Thepressure upon the sole and upon the said Zone is then increased byincrease of the pressure in' the upper head and concurrently the rest ofthe overshoe is pressed and compacted by the admission of air to the pot11 ofthe lower shoe about the shank of the last, the ldistorteddiaphragm 30 preventing vescape of airy from the lower head. Airentrapped between the overshoe and the last is' vented through theaperture 24in the last-support 12 and the screw 15, f

When f the shoe has been adequately pressed, the continuing rotationVofthe shaft 48 causes the heads to bevented andthe upv per headsuiicientlyevacuated to reduce or eliminate the strain of fthe diaphragm30. vupon the sole ofthe overshoe, andthe upper upon the engagement ofthe head 63 of the clutch pin 62 with the cam member 6l causes theclutch pin to be retracted and stops the machine. lThis completes thecycle of operation, which is then repeated upon successive overshoes.

Various modifications are possible within the scope of our invention asdefined in the` appended claims.

lVe claim:

l. Apparatus for soling and pressing an article of footwear, the saidapparatus comprising means for supporting a last with an upper and asole thereon, a flexible diaphragm, means for applying a pressure fluidagainst said diaphragm on one side thereof to press it against'the sole,fluid-confining means which with the other side of the diaphragm andwith the upper defines a pressure-fluid chamber for applyingpressurefluid locally to the upper in direct contact therewith, the saidV huid-confining means. comprising a lip-gasket member adapted tol sealagainst the upper about the mouth thereof.

2. Apparatus for pressing footwear, thel said apparatus comprising alast, a fluidbacked, elastic diaphragm, means for forcing one of thesame toward the other to press a sole on the last by contact of thediaphragm with the sole, a rigid member surrounding the last at asubstantial distance from the sole thereof and presented to the toeportion of the last for limiting the stretch of the diaphragm, the saidrigid member being so close to the last at all points about the same asalone to prevent so large a baying of the diaphragm between the last andthe member as to result in undue strain of the diaphragm by the fluid bywhich it is backed, and a member adjustable with relation to the membersurrounding the last and so constructed and arranged as to engage theshank of the last, the two said members being adapted to support lastsof different sizes with their sole faces in approximately the sameposition with relation to the diaphragm.,

3. Apparatus for pressing an article of footwear, the said apparatuscomprising means for supporting a last, a presser-head including afluid-backed diaphragm, and meansV for relatively swinging said head toand from a position of alignment with the last-supporting means and forrelatively moving it rectilinearly from said position toward thelast-supporting means and from the last-supporting means to saidposition.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 including means for varying thepressure of the fluid by which the diaphragm is backed by conductingfluid to and from the presserhead-.

5. Apparatus for pressing an article of footwear, the saidA apparatuscomprising means lfor vsupporting a last, a presser-head includingajfluid-backed diaphragm, means f-for conducting pressure flu-id' tosaid head to distend said diaphragm and means vfor applying suction tosaid head to stress the diaphragm in the opposite direction.

6. Apparatus forpressing an .article of footwear, the said apparatuscomprising means for supporting a last, a presser-'head including afliiicl-bacl-:ed diaphragm,irmeans for relatively swinging said head toand from a position of alignment with the last-supporting means and forrelatively moving'it rectilinearly from said position towardy thelastsupporting means and from the last-supporting means to saidposition, means for conducting pressure fluid to said presser-head todistend said diaphragm, and means for applying suction to saidhead tostress the diaphragm in the opposite direction. j

7. Apparatus for pressing'an article of footwear, the said apparatuscomprising means for supporting a last, a presser-head including afluid-backed diaphragm, and means for relatively swinging said head toand from ya position of alignment with the last-supporting means and forrelatively moving it rectilinearly from said position toward thelast-supporting means and from the last-supporting means to saidposition, the head-moving means comprising an actuating member mountedtoslide toward and from the last-supporting means in the direction ofthe rectilinear movement of thev presser-head and an arm projecting fromthe head and pivoted to the said member for the angular movement of thehead.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 including a toggle for moving theactuating member and means fory actuating the toggle and swinging thehead in determinate time relation. e

9. Apparatus for pressing an article of footwear, the said apparatuscomprising twoy presser-heads each adapted to apply fluid pressurelocally t0 the article, means for bringing the said heads together .uponthe article, means for conducting pressure fluid to and from each of theheads, driving means so constructed and arranged as to actuate theseveral aforesaid means in an automatic, cyclic operation including thebringing of the heads together, the conducting of pressure fluid intothe heads, sure fluid therefrom, and the separation of the heads, andmeans actuated automatically by the driving means in the cyclicoperation for applying suction to one of the heads.

10. Apparatus for pressing an article of.

rubber footwear comprising a pressure-fluid pot, a last-support thereinhaving a stem projecting through a wall of the pot to the eX- teriorthereof, means for securing thestem in different adjusted positions insaid wall,

the venting of the presvmy site direction. f

`thesaid'last-support and its stem being aperturedto Vent to theexterior of the pot alast *mounted on said f last-support,` vand Vay lipgasket mounted upon 'the last-support and f adapted to 'seal 'againsta'last mounted on the last-support.

11; Apparatus forv pressing an article V of Vfootwear, thesaidrapparatus comprising a presser-head, elastic, fluid-backeddiaphragm mounted thereon, means for conducting pres-v sure flu-id intothe head to distend the diaphragm, and means for applying suction to"the head to stress the diaphragm in the oppo- In vWitness whereof Wehave hereunto set our hands this 1st day of July, 1927. Y

CHARLES M. RICHARDSON. VIRGIL BODLE.

